Joey Santiago on Pixies' bright future

“We’re one of those lucky bands that have such a solid fanbase” he says, with gratitude. “The fact that we’re not bound to any record company makes it even more liberating. We can actually do anything.”

It certainly seems that way. Dispite taking a hit when founding member, iconic bassist and backup vocalist Kim Deal recently up and left, the band have bounced back with a marvellous new EP and a highly anticipated European tour.

“We’re still trying to feel our way through the absence of Kim Deal,” Joey admits. “Not to take credit away from the new bass-player Kim Shattuck or, indeed, Kim Deal and all she has done for this band, but it proves the point that the three of us are enough to define what we are.”

Now the group are on a roll, what can we expect from the future? Joey gets mysterious. “All I can really say is that EP-2 is going to happen” he teases, “but I don’t know when it’s going to happen.”

Joey promises that the Pixies will have plenty post-tour action in the future and, given his technological enthusiasm, we suspect the band may use the internet as a creative sharing platform.
“At this point, our thoughts are that the album format is dead. You don’t have to go into a record store to sell your music anymore. You buy from the ether. It’s like falls out of the sky. What is an album anyway? How many minuites? How many songs? Is that all there is to it? Alright, do you want it now, or do you want it later? Do you want a light three course-meal, or a big fat steak?”

We are looking forward to whatever they serve next. See the Pixies at the Olympia, Dublin on November 18 and 19, and read the full interview in Hot Press magazine.